Board 3: Ride Warpig

In a sea of choices, it can be challenging, if not impossible, to determine which snowboard is the right one for you strap into. That is why SNOWBOARDER Magazine created The Blackboard Experiment, to shine a light on some of the season's best freestyle snowboards in hopes that when you head to your local shop, you can find a deck that fits your riding, regardless of whether you're sending 50-footers or hotlapping the old guys' line.

With nine boards to the test in the 2017 edition of The Blackboard Experiment, we tapped Aussie pipe phenom, Scotty James, to put the collection of blank snowboards through the paces. Just as Sage Kotsenburg before him, Scotty doesn't have a board sponsor, so he can ride anything he wants. The two-time Olympian has medaled at X Games and the US Open, and possesses an innate edge control honed from years riding transition and lapping his home parks of Perisher.

Once again partnering with Mammoth Mountain we had Scotty test out all nine anonymous park boards, rating them in four categories over five days. The scores were tallied at the end in jibbing, jumping, transition, and carving to determine which deck stood out in each category, as well as the overall park destroyer. Check back in the coming days as we announce the different winners as well as the ratings for each deck tested!

Scotty James rides a mystery deck on the famous deck rail at Mammoth Mountain. p: Mike Yoshida

Board 3: Ride Warpig

Brand Statement:
The Warpig is designed for fun in all conditions with a unique shape that is shorter, wider, and tapered to allow for a more maneuverable snowboard that can lap the park and still float you like a board twice its size. Flat between the bindings with a smooth transition to rocker in the tip and tail creates a fun and predictable board that can be ridden almost anywhere. The Sintered base is slippery fast and durable like a great white shark covered in KY jelly. The Warpig is the most versatile tapered directional snowboard you will ever ride.– Tanner McCarty, Marketing Manager, Ride Snowboards

Scotty's First Impression:

Very directional. A little bit challenging to go from heel-to-toe because the nose is quite fat. Pretty tricky riding switch. Directionally though I really enjoy it; it’s a really fun board. Probably great when riding the mountain. Probably great in powder. Probably really fun the halfpipe, too, because generally halfpipe boards are pretty directional. I like the shape; it’s cool to look at when you’re riding. It’s actually really fun when you get on an edge because it holds an edge really well and is pretty aggressive coming out of turns.

Scotty and brother-cam Sean James making their way down the pipe. p: Huggy

Jib Score: 8

Fun to jib, for sure. I like the tail because it’s short. Easy to rip around. It’s a little tougher to press just because the nose is longer. The tail I’m scared to press because it is so short. I feel like I’d just fall backwards.

Jump Score: 6.5

I quite liked it on the big jump. It holds its own pretty well through the transition of the jump. A little tricky switching edges quickly for maybe like bigger spins and stuff. Very solid though the in run and landing. It cut through slough really, really well. I think one thing that’s scary is riding switch into the jump feels a little weird because it’s so directional. I’m excited to ride it in the halfpipe.

Tranny Score: 7.5

It’s a really surfy snowboard because it’s really directional. The sidecut is a little shorter so it’s not super strong from wall-to-wall and through the flatbottom. What is great is that it’s a really fun board in general. The shape alone gets you inspired to do really creative stuff. Hard to go from heel to toe just because is a bit thicker. I definitely preferred riding it in the minipipe than in the regular pipe.

Carve Score: 7

It holds a consistent edge through a turn. Doesn’t slip, doesn’t chatter. It was pretty good for buttering. I just get the urge to slash this thing. I would pick this board for any powder day, any year, any day. I would also pick this for a banked slalom as well as just kind of more of a fun, surfy, all around the mountain type board. Spring slush to the pow to the chowder, as Sage would say.